Sweating and Tattoos | Tattoos & Sports

When it comes to a new and fresh tattoo there must
be some proper care. Not just your aftercare creams, but in your
daily routine.
Before you go to the gym, make sure that your tattoo is clean and
wear some clean cotton clothes. Make sure that you've putted your
aftercare cream property.

In the gym... / Moisture
You must be careful to the gym machines. Keep the tattooed area away
from the machines. There are a lot of bacteria's, dirt, other
peoples sweat from the machines that could effect bad on the skin.
You must treat your fresh ink like a wound.

It is normal for you to have dry skin and peel after you get a
tattoo. The most important thing is to keep the area moist to
prevent cracking and scabbing. Dry skin may be especially
uncomfortable and prone to cracking during exercise as you may be
moving in a way that pulls and irritates your skin. Your tattoo
artist may recommend a moisture product, or there are numerous
over-the-counter ointments and lotions that you can use.

Exercise/Shower
Try to avoid exercises that pull and stretch your newly tattooed
skin. For example, if you got a new tattoo on your chest, certain
weightlifting moves may be irritating. Regardless of the type of
exercise you do, apply your moisture product and cover the area with
a bandage to reduce irritation and abrasion.

After your workout so you can wash off any sweat and salt that can
be potentially irritating. Finally, avoid contact sports if
possible until you are fully healed to reduce the risk of skin
abrasion.

Sunlight
Don't expose your tattoo to sunlight until it is fully healed. If
you are exercising outdoors, simply wear a clothing item to cover up
the area. For example, if you have a tattoo on your shoulder and you
are heading outdoors for a jog, wear a loose t-shirt to cover the
area. After your tattoo heals, wear an SPF 30 or greater sunscreen
to reduce fading if it will be exposed to sunlight.

What to do to avoid infections?
Do your shower 2-3 a day. Especially right away after a work out.
Simply washing the tattoo off, and freeing it from sweat and dirt
will keep it, your skin clean.

Follow your aftercare advices
Be patient. Some people have extra sensitive skin and it's probably
the best choice to avoid going in gym, or doing an exercises for
faster and easier tattoo healing process.Taking three or four days
off would not hurt your fitness, and may even be beneficial.

How To Recognize An Infection
Tattoos can be red, swollen (raised-up), weepy/bleeding and just
plain sore when they are done. The more complex a design and the
longer you sat there, the greater the chances for these symptoms. If
your tattooist had a really firm grip on you or if you tend to be
sensitive to it, there might even be a few bruises.

If your tattoos increase in redness, become more painful, and either
the skin or the fluids weeping out become yellow-greenish in color,
those are all classic signs of an infection. In those cases, either
go back to your tattooist or doctor to have the infection confirmed
and evaluated.

If left untreated, infections can not only damage the tattoo itself,
they can potentially lead to something life-threatening like blood
poisoning.

Some people have allergic reactions to tattoo inks or and experience
adverse skin reactions. To determine this, you need to see a doctor
or dermatologist.

What are the risks?
Some of the skin infections that can be caused, as a result of
tattooing, are impetigo, cellulites, herpes simplex, tetanus, staph,
fungal infections, transmission of syphilis, leprosy and viral
warts.

Hepatitis B, a dangerous liver infection, and HIV/AIDS are two of
many diseases that can be passed along through bodily fluids. This
means you can catch these diseases if you get a tattoo from someone
who uses a dirty needle.

Hepatitis C infection, a deadly blood disease that attacks liver
function. The disease is typically transferred from one person to
another when proper sterile procedures aren't followed. This can
include reusing needles between clients, and reusing inks.

There is no known cure for hepatitis C, and the disease can be fatal
unless it goes into remission. Even then, stress and other illnesses
can trigger its renewed attack on the liver, leading to eventual
death. HIV-HIV infections can lead to full blown AIDS, a deadly
disease for which there is currently no known cure. The virus is
mainly passed through improperly sterilized tools, but can also be
transferred if an infected artist accidentally prick his hand while
working on a tat.

What to do?
Familiarize yourself with basic sterile procedures to be followed
when creating tattoos.Take a look around the shop to make sure they
have an autoclave and that they are using it.

Sharps bin for used needles
Watch your artist to make sure he/she properly disinfects before
donning plastic gloves and a surgical mask.
Insist your artist uses a brand new needle rather than one that has
been run through an autoclave. Although a properly operated
autoclave forces sterilizing steam through very tiny spaces, there's
still a chance that a pocket of infection could survive in the
hollow.

How to recognize an infection or improper work:
The most common symptoms of the skin infections caused, due to
tattooing, are inflammation on and around the tattooed part of the
body. Usually, the skin near the area becomes tender to touch. There
may even be a swelling or discharge of blood from the spot. It is
not common that after undergoing the process of tattooing, a person
falls sick. Continuous pain even after 48 hours, can lead to skin
infection.